BURY boss Graham Barrow has been dealt a massive blow with the news that goalkeeper Glyn Garner needs surgery and will be out for weeks.

The Welsh shot-stopper, the current supporters' player of the season, has had a niggling problem with his left knee all season and aggravated it during last Saturday's 0-0 draw at Mansfield Town.

A subsequent scan has revealed cartilage damage that needs urgent remedial work which will keep him out of action for at least two months.

"Glyn has had some trouble with his knee for a while but tweaked it last weekend, and the specialist believes he must have an operation now," said Barrow.

"That's the gamble you take when you only have one experienced goalkeeper on the books, it's just typical of our luck that this should happen.

"When I came to the club we had the luxury of both Glyn and Paddy Kenny, but its a different situation now."

With the only other goalkeeper on Bury's books young Greg Smith, Barrow has moved quickly to fill the gap and landed a quality replacement in Welsh international Andy Marriott.

The much-travelled 34-year-old, who spent the majority of his career with Nottingham Forest, Wrexham and Sunderland, has five caps for the Principality and had been plying his trade with Beira Mar in the Portuguese Supaliga (their version of the Premiership) but has returned to the Britain to find a club.

After starting on the bench for the Portuguese side earlier this season he became first choice after three weeks playing 23 matches before an injury forced him out.

He also made a small piece of history while on the continent by becoming the first goalkeeper to record a victory in Benfica's new Estadio Da Luz.

Before he went overseas he trained with Coventry City and Colchester United recently held his registration after taking him on trial last month.

Thankfully U's boss, ex-Shaker Phil Parkinson, was in no mood to scupper his former club's hopes of signing Marriott and readily agreed to cancel his contract so he could join the Shakers.

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